The cult of Rudy [Giuliani] is not just a tribute to his efficacy; it's also a sign of the magic thinking that has replaced savvy [in New York City]. Rudy is New York's Golem—the legendary clay giant who protects his people against their enemies—and we have been reduced to a childlike dependence on such supernatural figures. When the towers went down, so did the sense of control that makes us feel like adults. In such moments of regression, we fall back on patterns that provided safety in childhood. Women retreat behind men, and men react to their fear by becoming enraged. That's when we most need to hear from people whose minds work differently, but the dictates of uniformity prevent such voices from being heard. The clay giant becomes a wall of silence.
Last week, a professor was threatened with disciplinary action for unseemly comments about the Trade Center calamity. Several journalists were fired for razzing George Bush. A noted composer had his music banned for comparing the attack to a work of art. (Is it now forbidden to be flaky?) Bill Maher apologized—after being scolded by the White House—for insisting that the terrorists were not cowards. These incidents are the most visible signs of a more pervasive repression, as pop culture puts its impious shoulder to the wheel of unity. Making artists behave is a marker of magic thinking: If we clean up our act, we'll be OK.
Because this bargain is irrational, everyone must abide by it. The social unit can't cohere unless we all become the same—or so it seems in a time of need. And so, funked-up versions of "God Bless America" replace the bitch-slapping anthems of more "innocent" days. Trend Hitlers declare sincerity the new black, and $1000 military-officer coats are touted by the Times. Postmodernism yields to traditional tropes of God and country, though we are actually entering the most postmodern moment in our history: a war without borders, battles, or reporters....
Back when I was dodging tear gas thrown by the satraps of the Greatest Generation, my mantra was "Question authority!" That old '60s nostrum is even more necessary now. It's the essence of patriotism—or, if you prefer, it's our best shot.
[Full text: http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0140/goldstein.php]
Carl
_________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp